Setting up Focus or FTL in minutes with ISBoxer

[Lax]

ISBoxer ('http://www.lavishsoft.com/wiki/index.php/IS:ISBoxer') recently got a new feature that helps both focus-based and FTL-based configurations. Using FTL has been implemented for a while, and the hard part has been writing the actual WoW macros. Now, mapped keys can be coupled to a WoW Macro right through ISBoxer Toolkit. ISBoxer Toolkit will generate a WoW Addon to create the macros (any number of invisible macros up to 1023 characters, similar to Macaroon and other macro addons), and set WoW key bindings (using overrides, so you can keep your real LB button instead of replacing it with a macro, and your existing WoW key bindings will still be there when you're not multiboxing) to the keystroke set to send to the character, when launching that character via an ISBoxer character set. The right macros are automatically created and bound per character depending on the character set (technical note: this is done by using different virtual files, like an application-level symlink, a feature that has been long used to use a different config.wtf file per character -- this is not some new feature in Inner Space to read game memory to determine which character is loaded or making the Addon communicate with Inner Space).

When creating the macros through ISBoxer, you can select options to make the macro target or assist the Hot Character (the one you're playing), and it will automatically generate the additional macro lines to apply FTL, and also optionally restore the target afterward. The generated macro lines will be self-aware, so the same macro can be used on the hot character as the others for, say, casting Lightning Bolt.

Example: Creating a macro for lightning bolt, I would type "/cast Lightning Bolt" in the commands box, check a box to apply FTL or Focus targeting, select assist or target, and check another box to restore the target afterward.

As far as Focus-based setups go, the macros for setting the Focus character can be automatically generated by checking a box per character.

Now I can switch in a different character to that slot, and when exporting again, the new Focus macro will be generated for that character instead of the old one, or the FTL conditions will be updated with the new character, so there's no hassle in using a different character than the one originally configured. (You know, like having to go manually edit a bunch of macros to /focus a different character or change the characters in all the FTL conditions)

Suffice it to say, I've gotten rid of every macro I ever created in the game itself, and if I wanted to switch to using FTL instead of focus, it would take me all of a few minutes to check some boxes and perhaps change some key bindings for the macros instead of trying to follow confusing guides and spending hours getting it right. Configuring a new set of characters should take all of 15 minutes (once you're familiar with how things work), even complicated ones.

Video showing WoW macro configuration, for both Focus and FTL:
* http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nGZ11sP2EE8
If you haven't watched the ISBoxer Overview videos, parts 1 and 2, it might help you follow along:
* Part 1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uB3-Pr3_3AU
* Part 2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oIqLMBhoMQI

[Creazil]

Well, it's really sweet .. makes it dead simple to (re)configure my FTL setup :)

[zanthor]

Wow...

I've been putting off switching to a FTL because I didn't want to rebuild all my macro's...

I've been putting off switching to an FTL because Macaroon is likely to die with the next patch and I figured I could do it then...

If I'm looking at this right, I rebuild my setup using ISBoxer - it creates the macro's for me (which should still function just fine next patch), use a more agnostic bar mod to move my bars where I want them (or even use blizzards default UI mod) and everything just works...

Nice work. Very nice.

[Chorizotarian]

I've been putting off switching to an FTL because Macaroon is likely to die with the next patch and I figured I could do it then...

Is that because of a specific 3.1 change or just because stuff always dies after major patches?

[zanthor]

I've been putting off switching to an FTL because Macaroon is likely to die with the next patch and I figured I could do it then...

Is that because of a specific 3.1 change or just because stuff always dies after major patches?3.1 brings dual spec, dual spec brings profiled hotbars, I suppose that macaroon may survive and just not support that, but as I fully intend to switch all 5 shamans back and forth between elemental and resto I would very much prefer a smooth transition each time.

[Frojax]

I'm very happy with Keyclone, but I am also interested in FTL systems and am too lazy to do all of the hard work. This has got me very interested, the ability to write the macros outside of WoW, means I can do all the crap on a patch day. I'm going to be taking a look at this at some point this week for sure. The only thing that concerns me is, it doesn't seem to support Vista?

[zanthor]

IS works fine with Vista.
I haven't tried the ISBoxer toolkit in a few versions, but it worked fine with vista as well.

[aboron]

I'm using using isboxer and innerspace on vista x64 just fine - just make sure you run as administrator.

[Frojax]

Thanks for the info, I'll take advantage of the free trial, start a fresh alliance team on a busier boxing server and try it out. If it works out, I'll switch for my main teams too.

[Lax]

I'm very happy with Keyclone, but I am also interested in FTL systems and am too lazy to do all of the hard work. This has got me very interested, the ability to write the macros outside of WoW, means I can do all the crap on a patch day. I'm going to be taking a look at this at some point this week for sure. The only thing that concerns me is, it doesn't seem to support Vista?Before anyone else asks about Vista (or 64-bit, etc), for the record I do all my development work on Vista 64-bit. I've tested on Windows XP 64-bit, Windows Vista 64-bit, and Windows 7 64-bit, and there are of course people using 32-bit of the same OSes and even Windows 2000, so beyond the usual Vista/Win7 funkiness -- needing to Run as Administrator -- there is no problems with the OS. In fact, for dual monitor with 1 video card setups, it is better to run Vista or Win7 than Windows XP or 2000 because you can more easily take advantage of both monitors while boxing (with XP, you either need special software to allow hardware rendering if moving the window to the other monitor -- desktop spanning -- or it's going to go ass slow when you move a window over). Hint though: Reportedly, leaving Aero enabled eats up a lot of performance when multi-boxing. Disabling might increase your FPS a good bit.

[Greythan]

I use a system that only "assists" when the current target is either friendly, dead or empty (i.e., no target). This way I can mash an attack button and my DPS will continually attack their current target. Once dead, they then look to assist "party1" to acquire the next target. I like this as it allows my main (Paladin) to change targets freely without my DPS following. If I do want to switch targets mid-fight, I simply clear the current target for all windows (i.e., ESC) and resume mashing my DPS button.

Example, my frost mage primary DPS macro:


#showtooltip frostbolt
/use 13
/use 14
/cast icy veins
/castrandom [exists,harm,nodead] frostbolt, summon water elemental
/stopmacro [exists,harm,nodead]
/assist party1
/castrandom [exists,harm,nodead] frostbolt, summon water elemental

From the video it looks like I either a) have to set up a discreet assist button or b) embed an assist function without the harm/exists/nodead check.

Without testing, would it work if I put the first six lines of the above macro in the macro window and then added a checkbox to the "but first" box?

[Lax]

Well, technically you can paste your macro in the commands box as-is, and without checking the "But first" box, it will not be modified... but I assume that's not what you're getting at.

The targeting options as currently implemented are going to either a) inject [target=focus] or [target=focustarget] into applicable commands, or b) put /assist or /target at the beginning of the macro, and then at the end of the macro it may put /stopmacro and /targetlasttarget as needed.

So as to what I think you do want, which is to assist the Hot character instead of always party1.. I've been working on adding a feature to the WoW Macro generator, there's some details in the "Coming Soon" part of the ISBoxer page, but your scenario gave me an idea of a couple things to add real quick. So here's what I think your macro would look like:


#showtooltip frostbolt
/use 13
/use 14
/cast icy veins
/castrandom [exists,harm,nodead] frostbolt, summon water elemental
/stopmacro [exists,harm,nodead]
{ASSISTHOTCHARACTER}
/castrandom [exists,harm,nodead] frostbolt, summon water elemental


What will happen is {ASSISTHOTCHARACTER} will be replaced when the macro is generated for the game, either to "/assist focus" if not using FTL, or "/assist [ftlstuff]toon;[ftlstuff]toon;[ftlstuff]toon" if using FTL. Additionally I've added {TARGETHOTCHARACTER}, which translates to /target focos or /targetexact <ftl>, and {FTL} which translates to the FTL sequence e.g. [ftlstuff]toon;[ftlstuff]toon;[ftlstuff]toon -- hopefully people dont try to start using THAT on every line ;) (the character limit is 1023).

Does that sound more like what you wanted? Slightly more advanced than checking the boxes I know, but would allow you to put the assist anywhere you like

[Greythan]

Exactly Lax and what I had envisioned, but communicated poorly.

I really don't know how folks don't use a system that functions like mine. Trying to get aggro on an add or targeting the next mob in a sequence seems severly ganked if everytime you swich your main's target, your DPS follows. Like I said, the only thing I haven't yet optimized is an easier way to switch my DPS target when the current target is still alive. What I do now is simply hit F1 (which passes to all windows and, as you'd expect, "targets self") and resume smashing my DPS button. (Voila, new target acquired and DPS starts burning it down.)

EDIT: I'm purely a PVE guy so far thus my needs to switch mains has been few and far between. However, I'd gladly switch to a FTL system for the inevitable PVP itch and for those rare occassions (will be less rare ;) as I venture into Heroic dungeons) where my main goes down.

[Lax]

I'm purely a PVE guy so far thus my needs to switch mains has been few and far between.
I find it invaluable for collection quests as far as PVE goes, but yeah I generally PVE so far but am on a PVP server and have been known to enter the bg's (Ruin battlegroup). I need to get some tanks levelled up so I can gear up my shamans through heroics now that they're 80 though :cursing: I'm severely outgeared in PVP ;)

Anyway, the new feature I mentioned I was working on is now completed, available and fully documented with examples on the ISBoxer page (specifically in the World of Warcraft Game-specific Help page, under Advanced macro functionality). Now I can get rid of that pesky Invite macro I still have lingering in the game client and use my universal invite macro (one of the examples). That's the last one! :)

[Souca]

I really don't know how folks don't use a system that functions like mine. Trying to get aggro on an add or targeting the next mob in a sequence seems severly ganked if everytime you swich your main's target, your DPS follows. Like I said, the only thing I haven't yet optimized is an easier way to switch my DPS target when the current target is still alive. What I do now is simply hit F1 (which passes to all windows and, as you'd expect, "targets self") and resume smashing my DPS button. (Voila, new target acquired and DPS starts burning it down.)I have two bar spots I set aside for /click. I replace the slots with a macro that always does an assist, or one that doesn't do the assist for more PvE related tasks. In the second case I manually hit the assist macro to change targets. It lets me reconfig easily enough and I like that if I change mains, i.e. tank dies, I still can hit the target key and get the new mains target.

- Souca -

[Zerocool2024]

You know, just the other day I was going to ask Jamba to see if she/he could implement a way to have it store macros for the toons. Or make it to where when you have Jamba find the toons, it will give you a series of boxes to check to give orders as to who is the Main, and who is following who/assisting/ ect. Then it would make the macro in either FTL or Focus. It could also have pre setups for toons, Like:

Shaman:
Elemental -
/cast Lightning Bolt
/cast Chain Lightning

But you can select which toon does what and assign what hotkey it goes to.
Basically just a lot of options to setup your group based on what you want each toon to assist/follow/cast, then it would make the macros according to the options you picked..


I don't much remember where I came across the post, but there was someone on here that was posting a program, or showing it in the early development processes of making macros for toons and having it store them and allowing you to use them on multiple toons so that can go between different groups. It had other features, but the program seemed interesting.

But it seems that Lax has already solved most of that problem.

Thanks mate, I will dive into it and see what it can do for me.

[roxide]

Hello I have an idea that would be helpful.

I would like to see a way to store my macros in ISBOXER for fast adding,editing and retrieving of macro when seting up team.

Have them in one section to store. then in the ingame macro inporter have a dropdown menu with the macro

[pinotnoir]

This looks nice. From what I understand you need Innerspace + IS boxer to do this. I use keyclone right now and have been wanting to try out innerspace. The mouse broadcasting for aoe was the main reason. Now you have FTL setup without all the eye bleeding macro writing. It looks like keyclones days are numbered for me.

[Maleick]

I got the 7-day trial and I got fully set up and running with FTL in about 30-45mins, mostly spent watching all the videos hehe.

[Multibocks]

Wow, I watched all 3 videos and I am seriously considering playing again, lol. Damn you Lax!!!

[Iceorbz]

Lax,
I had a trial for a bit but I never really got around to trying it due to the complexity of my FTL setup, the current issues I have with keyclone is the do not pass overides not overriding keymaped keys.
Does innerspace allow for this feature? im really tired of having to type stuff on my guys while holding a shift key to get it through and keyclone has been very slow to update his current program.

I have about 70-80 hours vested in the creation of my macro for FTl and what not, im almost ready to give your program a try it looks promising.

[Lax]

Lax,
I had a trial for a bit but I never really got around to trying it due to the complexity of my FTL setup, the current issues I have with keyclone is the do not pass overides not overriding keymaped keys.
Does innerspace allow for this feature? im really tired of having to type stuff on my guys while holding a shift key to get it through and keyclone has been very slow to update his current program.

I have about 70-80 hours vested in the creation of my macro for FTl and what not, im almost ready to give your program a try it looks promising.If you're asking what I think you're asking, the answer is yes, ISBoxer can help you set that up however you like. Mapped Keys can include actions to change your white/black list for Repeater, or disable or enable a Key Map, among other things (popup text in game, sounds, etc).

[PyrostasisTDK]

So glad to see you got a UI implemented LAX, this is badass.

Going to see if it works with EvE (particularly the window snapper feature) If so, Ill be signing up, and probably sending quite a few people your way.

[Multibocks]

So if I used FTL and have a /castsequence that is long, will I still run into the limit or does innerspace do FTL with /click to save space?

[Lax]

So if I used FTL and have a /castsequence that is long, will I still run into the limit or does innerspace do FTL with /click to save space? You have 1023 bytes per final macro (ISBoxer variables don't count, the final text does) -- yes they are on hidden buttons you would otherwise use with /click. I should add a feature to warn if it's too long for any given Character.

[Multibocks]

that would be great, since I just made a group of gnome/dwarves with variations on Gnomnomgnome for names. I imagine I lost a lot of space =)

[Multibocks]

New problem, none of my characters /assist or do anything I put in my FTL config... and to that end I need a better understanding of IS. When you are mbing and in battle, do you have repeater on or off? Do I have to set blacklist keys so they wont be repeated on slaves? I tried repeater ON and OFF and it didnt make a difference, my simplest key /follow wont even work. However when I switch windows that built in function of /follow works great!

[Lax]

You need to make sure that the things you create are assigned to the Character Set. If you select your Character Set, and under Repeater Profile it doesn't have a sub-item for the one you created, it will not be active.

Repeater will not adhere to FTL -- if you want to use FTL, you will need to make Mapped Keys for each FTL'd key, and make sure they have FTL enabled in order to use the FTL modifiers. Usually with FTL you want automatic assist (the T in FTL being Targetless), so that's normally not an issue -- you would need a macro for each one anyway. So, for example, if you're playing warlocks you might make a World of Warcraft Macro Action for /cast Shadow Bolt, and select "But first, Assist Hot Character" and "... and restore target afterward". The macro is automatically modified for you by the targeting options, to handle FTL.

When I am in combat, I have repeater turned off. I only turn it on when I need the one-to-one functionality it provides (e.g. typing). I activate my abilities with Mapped Keys, generally with World of Warcraft Macro Actions. This way it doesn't matter where the abilities are in my action bars (and maybe they aren't) or what the normal key bindings I have assigned are. I can change any of those things while I play and not break multi-boxing (similarly I can change all of my multi-boxing stuff without affecting solo play).

Some people do it with repeat enabled, and just hit the usual in-game hotkeys. That's fine to do. It's up to you -- as the guide on the site says, there are multiple ways to do things, and whichever one works and feels right to you, is the way you should do it.

Hope this helps -- I'm moving this weekend (Thurs-Sun) so I might not be available when you need help. Highly recommend the chat channel (you can find it via the Help menu in ISBoxer), there's 25-30 people there that have been using ISBoxer for a while, and most of them can answer your questions or help you out if needed.

[Multibocks]

Thanks for the help Lax, I got a few of my combat spells working properly. Strange that I cannot get just a simple /assist key to work ( I dont have /targetlasttarget either.) Oh well!

[Rigz]

SO i watched the videos and have a quick question, when using an FTL setup can I still use modifiers for keys that are not part of the setup or do I need to have no modifier keys bound at all?

I hope that makes sense.

For example i have my movement keys bound as a keymap where pressing W triggers Shift+W. My forward movement in game is bound to Shift+W. Does having a binding like that screw with a FTL setup?

[Lax]

SO i watched the videos and have a quick question, when using an FTL setup can I still use modifiers for keys that are not part of the setup or do I need to have no modifier keys bound at all?

I hope that makes sense.

For example i have my movement keys bound as a keymap where pressing W triggers Shift+W. My forward movement in game is bound to Shift+W. Does having a binding like that screw with a FTL setup? No. You would not apply FTL modifiers to movement keys -- you specifically pick which keys you want FTL modifiers applied to. However, the keys you do want FTL modifiers applied to, you are limited to not using conflicting modifiers. If you have 5 or more characters, this generally means you reserve an entire key -- such as a Num key -- for an ability in the game (though you do not need to press that key yourself to activate it, you can use whatever key combination you want). Hope that made sense ;)

[Rigz]

I think i see, so if i have FTL modifiers set up under my characters and I make a /cast Immolate macro, I can use the num1 key as the mapped key target. However I should not make, shift+Num1 do something else like open my bags in wow.

[Lax]

I think i see, so if i have FTL modifiers set up under my characters and I make a /cast Immolate macro, I can use the num1 key as the mapped key target. However I should not make, shift+Num1 do something else like open my bags in wow. Correct. (Well, mostly -- Shift+Num 1 isn't a valid key binding anyway, but if you were comparing, say, ] versus shift+] then absolutely)

However, if you avoided using any of CTRL, SHIFT, or ALT as FTL modifiers, you CAN reuse a given key with that modifier. For example, if you are playing 5 characters and used: lctrl, rctrl, lctrl+lalt, lctrl+ralt, rctrl+lalt as modifiers, then you avoided using Shift, and you could use ] for an FTL key, and shift+] for something non-ftl (it may not work with FTL conditionals built into ISBoxer as currently implemented, because it's checking nomod on shift)

[olipcs]

Added a link to this thread to the FTL-Wiki.
- sorry i didn't do this earlier, but somehow I forgot about the wiki-entry (which on its one would need an overhaul).

[schlange]

do you need to buy and MAINTAIN a subscription to Innerspace to get ISBoxer to work? I do not want more monthly costs on top of the 5 accounts :)

[Greythan]

ISBoxer is just a GUI front end for InnerSpace. So, the answer is yes.